A teacher at Gwindingwi High School in Bikita West near the Duma location was physically assaulted by a Form Four learner after he attempted to enforce school rules.
Community Voices Zimbabwe reported that the teacher, Festos Masimba, caught the Form learner Madziwe (not his real name) and three other boys smoking marijuana outside of their classrooms during lessons.
Masimba, who was on duty, approached the group to remind them and told them to get to their classrooms.
Three of the boys complied but Madziwe refused and engaged in a physical confrontation with Masimba.
It is alleged that during the altercation, Madziwe took hold of Masimba’s whip, striking the teacher on the right side of his face.
Narrating the incident, Masimba said that when he was struck by the boy, he did not retaliate but reported the matter to the school head. He said:
It happened shortly after lunch, around two o’clock when I was carrying out my duty to ensure all pupils were in their classrooms. I encountered the four boys sitting outside, smoking marijuana.
I asked them to return to their classrooms, and three of them complied. However, Madziwe aggressively approached me, threateningly, before striking me.
Instead of retaliating, I reported the incident to the school head, who advised me to involve the police.
Surprisingly, the local police at Nyika Base dismissed the case, leaving Madziwe unpunished.
As a result, Madziwe continued to freely move around the school premises, while threatening other learners who had reported his misconduct.
Masimba expressed disappointment over the manner in which the local police dealt with the issue. He said:
The two policewomen failed to uphold the laws against violence. They claimed child protection laws as an excuse, ultimately neglecting their duty. I will seek the intervention of higher police authorities.
Dereck Muzinda, the School Head of Gwindingwi High, said the Police have a duty to ensure the safety of staff members and learners. He said:
Unfortunately, our legal proceedings regarding the case were unsuccessful as the police seemed to neglect it, leaving it unresolved.
Regrettably, we have not received any updates on the progress of the case.
It was shocking to witness the assailant wandering around the school premises, armed and ready to attack other students who had helped locate him for his misconduct.
Muzinda said the current education laws prohibit teachers from disciplining learners through physical punishment, and he identified this as one of the reasons why learners are getting wild.
In an interview with Community Voices Zimbabwe, James Mahofa, the Bikita District Schools Inspector (DSI):
I advise school teachers to enforce discipline among the learners while adhering to the laws that govern the education system in Zimbabwe.
I have noticed that the chief catalyst for these unruly behaviors is drug and substance abuse.
Community members should take responsibility for counseling their children and instilling good behavior in every social setting to prevent the rise of violent cases.
If such misconduct continues, there is a risk of a prevalence of even more severe incidents, such as murder.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Taungana Ndoro, said:
I strongly urge teachers and the School Development Committee to work together in shaping the behavior of pupils in both the community and school environment.
Parents have a fundamental role in fostering and nurturing good behavior in their children, ensuring that they become respectful and avoid engaging in violent behavior.
More: Pindula News